Ok, so I have one girl (7) and two boys (4 & 2). All three use a computer, especially the two eldest. They are used to XP and Vista format, and most of their activity is confined to DVDs and internet activities like Youtube, children's sites e.g. CBBC, Nick Jr, Transformers etc. My 4 yr old is also mad on Spotify! Anyway, up to now I have been letting my children use my media centre, desktop and laptop... no more due to too many "issues"!!! So I have decided that I shall allow Father Christmas the opportunity to purchase a laptop to share between them. Budget is circa £250, only requirements are DVD player, wifi and has to be fairly sturdy with a reasonably big screen. I am thinking Vista or Windows 7 is most likely OS, and new or refurbed to new unit. Anyone seen anything good out there to fit the bill?

Do not touch Vista!

Have a look on Bigpockets.co.uk Loads of ex company dual core laptops for circ £150. Ideal for a fisrt laptop for the kids and little lost if a can of drink is spreadliberally over the keyboard. Most of these will have xp or Windows 7, just avoid the Vista ones.

I second the bigpockets refurbed idea. They are quick to delver and the CS team are good. Avoid windows vista, go with 7 as the parental controls are better as is the user account permissions setup.

Thanks for the link, prices look good although only one refurb unit in stock at the minute!

Parental controls were going to be my next question! At the minute I just keep safe search on and monitor what they do. Do the Windows 7 controls offer enough protection without buying other software?

It's a tough one. There are ways round most of the parental controls and their friends will soon inform them how to work it.

The only way to be sure is to be there, or thereabouts whne they are using the Laptops. I also set our wireless router to be unavailable from 19:00 so they could not use the internet in their bedroom. There may be better parental tools but the best thing is to be there supervising them, I never found a substitute for that.